TIDAL Rising introduces brand-new dancehall-reggae playlist

In the modern-day music industry, artistes must com-pound the count of physical album sales with streaming numbers. Knowing this, it would be in any recording artiste's best interest to digitally distribute their music via a streaming platform, supported by curated playlists. Dancehall and reggae music has long been seen as shut out of, or misunderstood by, these carefully curated playlists - until now.

On Wednesday, November 7, popular streaming platform TIDAL introduced its new dancehall-reggae playlist via the TIDAL Rising programme. TIDAL Rising is a programme dedicated to artistes from around the globe who have passionate fan bases. Out of a total of 30 songs, reggae songstress Naomi Cowan opens this new playlist with her latest single, Paradise Plum.

"I had no clue this was in the works - that this was being curated. I was just tagged on Instagram, and my digital distributors sent me an email with the notification. I was pleasantly surprised that my song was included, and that it's the first song on the playlist is amazing. Then more so, the fact that they used my image is like a cherry on top, a sweet surprise," she told The Gleaner.

Some other songs featured on the playlist are Careful, by Mortimer, African Daughter, by Samory-I, Hurting Inside, by Jo Mersa Marley, Leave People Business, by Christopher Martin and Romaine Virgo, Ragamuffin, by Koffee, One Away, by Jane MacGizmo and Sometime Love by Sevana.

Hot on the promotion trail, Cowan will be performing at the 17th Annual Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival in Sunrise, Florida, on Sunday, November 11. She will take the stage alongside Alison Hinds, Freddie McGregor, Marcia Griffiths, Ding Dong Ravers, L.U.S.T., Chino, the Mighty Diamonds, and others. "Then I go to New York for an event called Hold Tight, that Jason Panton is organising," she revealed.

Dynamic music

TIDAL regularly curates and features a select group of artistes across genres from around the world to introduce fans to vibrant and dynamic music they may have otherwise missed. In October 2017, Jesse Royal was featured as one of TIDAL Rising's Artistes of the Week.

Cowan celebrates the recognition of the genre on the major platform, attributing it to producing good music. "The fact that Teflon Zinc Fence (music producer) and I were able to create this love story, as well as this sound, and feel that people are naturally and organically gravitating to it shows me the power of good music."

She also celebrated another contributor to Paradise Plum. "Big-up Sarah Couch, who co-wrote the verses with me. It wouldn't have dat likkle vibe without her. I am just grateful overall and excited for what this song can do, will do, for reggae. I hope that continuing to create hits like this will allow me to grow my brand, expand my team, and continue to bring our music to the four corners of the Earth," the singer said.